Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Rahab the Prostitute

Rahab the Prostitute

Start...
We don't know a whole lot about the beginning of Rahab's life. However, two things that most of us know are -she was a prostitute and she is named in the lineage of our Savior, Lord and Brother, Jesus Christ.
We know nothing of her birth or how she came to be a prostitute. And you know what, it really doesn't matter. What matters is that she was chosen, just as she was, for such a time as is recorded in Joshua 2-6.

Ponder that for a moment. Do you ever fall prey to thinking you have to clean yourself up, get yourself right, correct all your wrongs, etc., etc. before you can be saved? Rahab was used by God before she was saved by Him. Imagine that. She was born into a life that somehow led her to live as a prostitute. Not a very noble beginning and yet, in spite of that, in the midst of that, the Sovereign God of the universe was aware of her individually and He gave to her the opportunity of a lifetime.

Rahab, having no relationship with God, knew of God by His deeds. Before she believed Him, she knew who He was and she knew how much the people feared Him.

Without any apparent hesitation she gives aid to the spies whom Joshua had sent. She hides them and provides a way for them to escape. Even at great risk to herself she refuses to give them up to the king of Jericho and his men.
In spite of whom she was and how she made her living, this woman who had no relationship with the God, feared Him enough to obey Him.

Finish...
This, Rahab and all the family that was with her in her home were saved -her father, mother, brothers and all the relatives with her, were moved to a safe place.

"Then the Israelites burned the city and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the LORD's house. So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day." Joshua 6:24

So, what do we know from those final words. Rahab finished well. How do we know? We can surmise from the fact that she lived among God's people, the Israelites, that she no longer worked as a prostitute. It was by faith alone that Rahab did not die with all the other inhabitants of the land. She was made right by God with her actions.
And thus, Rahab finished well.
May it be said of us, that in spite of how we began or where we are now, we obeyed God and in faith, we believed God. May we, like Rahab, endure to the end and finish well.

Stephanie

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